


The Favorite Son

by nehemiah



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2014-09-29
Packaged: 2018-02-19 05:54:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2377250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nehemiah/pseuds/nehemiah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Selected excerpts from the politics/beltway AU I will never write. For JB Appreciation Week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Favorite Son

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2, One quote. “His world shrunk to the throb of agony that was his phantom hand, and Brienne pressed against him. She’s warm, at least, he consoled himself, though the wench’s breath was as foul as his own.”

A day like today was a day she didn’t want to see Jaime Lannister.

But there he was, outside the Maegor Hotel, flagging down her official car as if it was a taxicab. He looked like he’d been dragged through a few dozen hedges, and wore an overfamiliar grin on his face.

Jaime Lannister was the golden boy, scion of the country’s most influential political dynasty, a man who’d been tipped as a future president before he even left college. But he’d squandered all his privilege, preferring to indulge himself and live the life of a playboy. The only _responsible_ thing he’d ever done was his military service, and even that had ended in controversy. He’d finally gone into politics at thirty-eight, parachuted into a safe congressional seat, and… however many sessions he missed, however many votes he slept through, it was simply _understood_ that he’d be on the ticket in two years’ time.

That was what happened when your father was Tywin Lannister, party chairman and - some would say – the most powerful man in the country.

His career couldn’t be further removed from that of Catelyn Stark. _She’d_ worked her way up through the state legislature, earning a reputation for honesty and determination and adherence to principle. _Lady Stark_ , her opponents mockingly called her. She wore it like a badge of pride. She’d never had grand ambitions – she’d only run for Congress when her husband had died and left his seat vacant. And _then_ only to stop it falling into the hands of another of Tywin Lannister’s stooges. _Like this one_.

‘Congresswoman Stark,’ he called through the window with mock formality. ‘On your way to the chamber? Why don’t we carpool today?’

‘ _Carpool_?’ she demanded. ‘You have your own car, and your own staff.’

‘Father’s people,’ he said dismissively, looking around. ‘It’s one of my few remaining pleasures in life to give them the slip and earn a night’s freedom. May I?’ He didn’t wait for a response, but simply yanked the door open and climbed in. There were already two people on the back seat – the congresswoman, and the youngest member of her security detail.

‘Ah, nice and cosy,’ the man said, stretching out. His suit looked like it had been slept in, and he stank of whisky.

‘Don’t I even get a _good morning_?’ he called across to Brienne, then flashed a smirk at Catelyn. ‘Forgive my appearance, Lady Stark, but your big friend there tired me out last night.’

Catelyn felt her mouth drop open. _Surely he wouldn’t – surely Brienne would have the sense not to_ –she turned to the younger woman in shock. Brienne looked surprised too, but her expression soon turned stern.

‘That’s a stupid thing to say,’ she huffed. ‘Why don’t you tell everyone what really happened… Congressman?’

‘Ah, I cannot tell a lie. I was on my way down from the penthouse, stopped at the bar for an aperitif, and caught sight of this beauty working out in the gym. And then-‘

‘ _Then_ , his ego took over, he decided to put me in my place – and he couldn’t keep up with me on the treadmills, on the rowers, or at the punchbags. And after three hours of that, he slunk away to drink some more.’

Catelyn was surprised. Brienne was taciturn to a fault. _That_ was the longest and most confident speech she’d heard from the girl in a long time. Even Lannister, incorrigible though he was, seemed to deflate a little.

‘A punchbag’s one thing, lady,’ he said, and now there was an edge to his voice. ‘We’d see who was stronger if you took me on in the ring. I’d love to plant a glove in the big ugly face of yours.’

‘You couldn’t reach that high,’ sniffed Brienne, and turned away to look out of her window.

They rode in silence for a while, gliding through the patchy dawn traffic.

‘So, big day for you, Stark,’ said the man conversationally. ‘You’ve a crisp new bill before the House.’

It was true. The Riverlands Disaster Relief Bill was something she’d been working on for months. She’d been wheeling and dealing with members of both parties, using whatever leverage she could, and had finally – after so many late nights of negotiating – assembled a large enough bloc of supporters to get the measure through, despite Lannister opposition.

‘I have,’ she said. ‘And it’s going to be passed. You might as well have stayed in bed.’

Lannister just laughed. ‘ _That’s_ the first sensible thing you’ve said all morning.’ He fidgeted a little, fastened a couple of buttons on his shirt, stared out of the window… then turned back to her.

‘He’s got it fixed either way. Stark. Why do you think so many of our party broke ranks? Father doesn’t give a damn about the vote. Look. If the funding bill’s passed, whose budget does it all go into?’ He had an impatient look now, like he was explaining to a slow child.

Catelyn ground her teeth. ‘Governor Frey, and he-‘

‘Governor Frey, correct. And Father _owns_ Walder Frey. Once the money’s in his pot, he’ll find some pretext to redirect it, and your precious Riverlands orphans will still be out in the cold.’

She gasped out loud, and was immediately annoyed that she’d let herself be goaded into a reaction. ‘That is ridiculous, _Congressman._ Walder Frey was one of my father’s oldest friends. He’s been one of the Bill’s biggest supporters, he truly cares-‘

She stopped, because it sounded trite even to her. Frey was a self-serving creep who mostly cared about lining his pockets. He’d been Senator Tully’s friend, of course, and he’d spent all those years envying his friend’s prestige.

 _I should have seen this coming_ , she thought bitterly. _Ned would have._

Now Lannister was looking at her with something like sympathy on his face. ‘You had no idea, did you?’ He sighed. ‘Sooner or later, Father always gets what he wants.’

Catelyn set her jaw. ‘I don’t care. I’ll find a way. Tywin Lannister does not run this country, Congressman. He doesn’t even hold an elected office. I’m not going to accept that the power of a democratically elected House can be undermined by _one man_ and his-’

 _Enough_ ,’ snapped Jaime. ‘Spare me the _fucking_ civics lecture.’ He ran a hand through his long blond hair. ‘Tell your guy to pull over. I need to take a leak.’

‘You have got to be kidding me,’ she said.

‘As you’ve probably guessed, I didn’t have time for my ablutions this morning.’ He knocked at the driver’s partition. ‘Pull over!’ Catelyn reluctantly waved a hand.

The car pulled off the road into the forecourt of some disused garage in the shadow of the freeway overhead. This was the warehouse district, full of anonymous grey buildings, with not a living soul to be seen. Congressman Lannister shuffled toward the nearest wall.

‘I don’t need to see the details,’ she called out of the window. ‘Go down there,’ she added, waving at an alleyway. Laughing, he obeyed.

They sat in strained silence for a while. _Is he trying to annoy me, or trying to make me late for the presentation of my own Bill? Asshole, or strategic thinker?_

‘Fuck him,’ she said eventually. ‘Let’s go. He can walk the rest of the way.’

‘Wait,’ said Brienne. Catelyn turned to her in surprise. The big girl blushed under the attention.

‘He might be – uh. He looked a little green. Maybe he’s being sick… or something. I’ll just go and find him. If that’s okay?‘ That was directed at Bolton, the head of her detail, riding in the front.

Catelyn watched her get out and disappear the same way Lannister had gone.

 

*

 

‘Shit,’ she said under her breath.

Congressman Lannister was there, on his knees, surrounded by six burly men in dark clothes. His face was covered in blood. He looked up at her with astonishment. But the other men had seen her too, and she had six weapons trained on her before she could gather her wits to speak.

‘Ah!’ chirped Jaime. ‘Looks like my wife’s come to pick me up. She’s such a harridan. I’ll be in all kinds of trouble if you fine gentlemen don’t let me g-‘ his words turned into a gasp, as a metal-capped boot connected solidly with his stomach.

Brienne advanced on the group, warily checking the corners for any more threats. ‘Do you know who that man is? Back away from him and let him up. I’m giving you a chance to walk away from this.’

The leader, a thin man with a moustache and goatee, gave her a long disparaging look. ‘If my algebra hasn’t deserted me, six guns beats one. Put it down, lady.’

Her thoughts were racing. _How can they have known where to find him? Surely the others will come after me? Why the hell did I come after **him**?_ Then the fat Dothraki re-appeared at her shoulder, snatched her gun from her unresisting hand, and smashed the butt across her face.

 

*

 

They hadn’t been gentle out of regard for her sex. She was bruised from head to calf, one of her eyes wouldn’t open, and three of her teeth were lying in a pool of her blood on that concrete floor. She’d stopped struggling, eventually. Then they’d thrown her into some kind of cold locker, stacked high with boxes of food.

It was dark, but for a square of light coming in through a window built into the door.

The door opened with a metallic clatter, and two men threw Jaime in. He wasn’t resisting either; he just sprawled on the floor where he was thrown.

‘Get up,’ growled one of their captors, picking him up and slamming him hard into Brienne, while the other found a hooked chain and used it to tie them together.

‘Nice and cosy,’ leered the huge bald one. ‘Get to know each other. You’ll be spending some time together.’

For the first time that day, she had a close look at Jaime’s face. If he’d looked rough before, he seemed to be ten times worse now. He was white as a ghost, trembling, his face beaded with sweat. Then she looked down and _saw._

‘Jesus Christ,’ she muttered. Jaime’s hand ended prematurely in a bloodied bandage. _They’ve taken his fingers._

‘Proof,’ he laughed deliriously. ‘To send back to my father. _Everyone_ tries to get money out of my family. These fellows are just trying the direct route.’

‘You need to bring him a doctor,’ she called at the nearest guard. ‘Hey! This man needs medical attention, you can’t just -‘

The man slammed a fist into the side of her head, which rebounded off a metal rack.

‘More noise, more lessons,’ he said simply. ‘Stay quiet.’ Then he was gone, and the din of the door closing drowned out Jaime’s ragged breaths.

‘I’m touched by your concern.’ He squinted at her. ‘You’re uglier than I remember. Brave men, these.’ Then something seemed to occur to him. ‘Did they… did they try to –‘

‘No.’

‘They will. You should have heard them talking about you. _I’m_ the high-value hostage.’

Brienne felt her stomach contract. _It’s true_ , she realised. _Maybe it’s the only reason they’ve kept me alive_. She looked down all of a sudden, not wanting this man to see her fear.

‘Don’t resist,’ he said hoarsely. ‘When they come… give them what they want. Just go away inside. Think of… home, or whatever you love. We’ll be out of here sooner or later. You’ll be alive, and they’ll be dead. Keep your mind on that.’

‘They won’t like what I give them,’ she said, and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She looked up and met his eyes, seeing the glassy brightness in them.

They looked at each other without speaking for a moment, then he broke away. ‘Jesus, woman. Your breath’s even worse than mine.’

‘I find _that_ hard to believe,’ she shot back. But she didn’t object when he leaned in closer, and she felt the chill working its way into his sweat-damp clothes.

‘At least you’re warm,’ muttered Jaime.


End file.
